Work in pairs. Study the table below then ask and answer the questions about the school education system in Vietnam. (Làm việc theo cặp. Hãy nghiên cứu bảng câu hỏi dưới đây rồi hỏi và trả lời câu hỏi về hệ thống giáo dục phổ thông ở Việt Nam.)

Level of Education	Grade/Year (from-to)	Age (from-to)
Pre-school	Nursery	3 – 4	optional
	Kindergarten	4 – 5
Primary school	1 – 5	6 – 10	compulsory education
Secondary school	Lower Secondary 6 – 9	11 – 14
	Upper Secondary 10 – 12	15 – 17	National examination for GCSE

Guide to answer

• When do small children in Vietnam go to nurseries?
• How long is the pre-school stage ?
• When do children start the primary education?
• Can children start their primary education before 6 if they have enough capacity such as: read and write even at the age of five?
• What’s the level of education after the primary education?
• Is there any examination between these two stages?.
• How long is normally the secondary education?

Work in groups. Talk about the school education system in Vietnam, using information from Task 1. (Làm việc theo nhóm. Hãy thảo luận về hệ thống giáo dục phổ thông Việt Nam dựa vào những thông tin ở phần bài tập 1.)

Guide to answer

A. When do small children in Vietnam go to nurseries?

B. Usually at the age of 3.

C. How long is the pre-school stage ?

D. In principle 3 years, but it depends.

A. You mean it’s according to the child’s ability?

D. Right.

C. When do children start the primary education?

A. At the age of 6.

D. Well. Can children start their primary education before 6 if they have enough capacity? I mean they can read and write even at the age of five.

A. I’m afraid they cannot, in principle.

C. Oh! What’s the level of education after the primary education?

B. It’s the Secondary education. And this level is divided into two stages: lower and upper secondary schools.

A. Is there any examination between these two stages?

B. Yes. To enter the upper secondary schools, students must lake the recruitment exam.

C. How long is normally the secondary education?

B. Seven years.

D. At the end of the upper secondary education do students have to take any exams?

A. Sure. They must take an exam called “Tu Tai” Diploma.

C. I see. One more question. Must students pay tuition fee for their study in state schools?

D. Certainly they must. They must pay tuition fee for every stage of education and some additional fees.

C. Oh, really? Thank you for your answers.

D. My pleasure.

Work in groups. Talk about the similarities and differences between the school system in Vietnam and in England. (Làm việc theo nhóm. Hãy thảo luận về những điểm giống và khác nhau giữa hệ thống giáo dục ở Việt Nam và Anh)

Guide to answer

A. I’m not sure, but I think there are certain similarities and differences between the school system in Vietnam and that in England.

B. I think so, too. But what differences do you know?

C. As I know, first both systems have the same three levels of education, and the starting age of schooling.

D. But in England, as I know, there isn’t such a strict and unreasonable rule of starling age of schooling.

A. What do you mean?

D. OK. As I’m told, in England a pupil can attend a class if he or she has enough capacity as required.

B. About the differences I see there are a lot.

C. For example?

B. The academic year. In Vietnam, there are only two periods of schooling in a year, each of which lasts about five months or so.

A. I see. In England an academic year is divided into three by season.

D. And one more difference: in England students needn’t take any exam to enter the upper secondary schools.

C. But we should not ignore the most major difference: the tuition fee for nursery, primary and secondary educations. For these three levels, people do not pay any tuition in England. I mean they are totally free and compulsory.

B. Oh, really?